Writing Just Feels So Right

Hey everybody! I haven't written since April, and I apologize. I haven't forgotten about you, or stopped being grateful for the relationship that I'm lucky to have with you. What I HAVE done is to begin a new phase of my career, and re-evaluate my priorities based on that new direction.

On June 1st, I signed my first publishing deal and became a staff songwriter at Big Yellow Dog Music. (www.BigYellowDogMusic.com) I get a monthly salary, I turn in songs, they help me pay for demo sessions and pitch the songs to recording artists, and we share the money that the songs make. It's more than steady income for me---it's a chance to focus on being creative and exploring the craft of songwriting. The simplicity of just being a creative artist is refreshing, after eight years of being a web designer, printer, phone salesman, road manager, producer, photographer, bus driver, and myspace editor. (Full props to my homey Jodi for playing many of those roles and more as well.)

So what about you? You guys are the ones who have come to my shows, bought my records, encouraged me, told friends about me, and most of all, experienced and connected with my music. Does this mean you'll never see or hear from me again? Nope! I'm far too honored to have a relationship with you to let it fall by the wayside. After all, we're in this together! There are going to be some changes though, and here they are in a nutshell:

For the next however long, I'm going to be spending a lot more time sitting in front of a guitar or piano, and a lot less time sitting in front of a computer or a steering wheel.

So there is good news and bad news for you. Let's get the bad news out of the way: Your e-mails and myspace comments may go unanswered. Never unread, never unappreciated, but sometimes maybe unanswered. My blog entries may be less frequent and have fewer photos and video. And, I may not come play in your hometown any time in the foreseeable future. Alright, that wasn't so bad, was it?!

The good news for you is SONGS. Lots of 'em. New ones all the time. Stories songs, groovy songs, songs that make you cry, songs that remind you of what's beautiful, songs that crack you up. I haven't figured out exactly how I'm going to deliver them to you, but ideas on the table are myspace, snocap, ITunes, flash player on my website, free mp3s from time to time, etc. No more waiting 3 years for a new album to come out. (OK, 5 years.) I have TONS of new songs that I am anxious for you to hear. HOPEFULLY, some of them will go on to be sung by recording artists that you know and love and you will have the rewarding experience of hearing them first, fresh out of the kitchen.

So to sum up: The adventure continues. There is going to be more and better music than ever. I may be a little hard to reach in the future, but it's because I will be writing songs with YOU in mind. You'll get to hear new stuff on a regular basis, instead of every few years, and you'll get to hear "the hits" before they were hits. (Hopefully.) My first demo session is Sept. 6th, we'll record four or five brand new songs, and I plan to post them on my myspace page on the 8th. I'm pumped about that---my first demo session!!! Stay tuned for more info, and thanks for ALL of your encouragement through the years. May you continue to make steady progress toward YOUR goals and dreams. Peace,

Zane